Chapter 108: Too Worried (2)
In the past, Su Long would give his merit points to his comrades on the battlefield. This time, he was sending them to Su Yu instead. Perhaps Su Long was really worried that he would die on the battlefield, leaving his son without any money to even study.
No wonder Xia Bing was so much warmer than before. It wasn't because of his talent, but it was because of his father's actions on the battlefield.
"He's only an Infinite Strength cultivator. Why is he creating so much trouble?" Su Yu grumbled unhappily. He was upset.
Xia Bing heard Su Yu's words, but he didn't say anything. Inwardly, he thought that this kid wasn't even a Great Strength cultivator yet. Why was he complaining about his father’s cultivation level?
But he could understand Su Yu's feelings. Thus, he was unbothered. He said, "Su Yu, if you're sure you don't need your father's merit points, we won't transfer them to you. But you're going to the academy soon. I think you should take it."
"How many merit points are my father sending back?"
"53 merit points."
Su Yu frowned. So many?
Yes, that was a lot of merit points. To get that many points, Su Long needed to have a contribution equal to killing five early-stage Infinite Strength enemies on the battlefield. He hadn't even been on the battlefield for long!
Then again, as a 100-man commander, he naturally had additional rewards for his leadership. But no matter what, Su Yu was still worried after learning that his father had taken such a short time to earn 53 merit points.
].
His father had been way too active! Did he challenge a late-stage Infinite Strength enemy to a fight or something like that?
"I don't need them. He should keep them for his own cultivation. It's only 53 points. If you can contact my father, just tell him that I don't lack money. Tell him I have recently sold our house. Also tell him that I'm planning to find myself a rich wife in the capital and become a live-in son-in-law."
"..."
Xia Bing looked at Su Yu speechlessly.
Kid, are you worried that your father can't die so you're trying to infuriate him to death?
But he understood Su Yu's mood. He smiled and said, "Sure. I'll pass those words to him. I'll also let him know about your placement in the examinations. If you encounter any trouble in the capital, as long as it does not involve anything unlawful, you can ask for help from the local military."
"Yeah, I know."
Xia Bing did not say anything else. He patted Su Yu's shoulder and said, "Don't worry. Humanity is strong. He will be fine. Your father will be proud of you. Soldiers like us only wish to see our family living well and doing well for themselves."
He was a middle-aged man with a wife and children as well. Unlike him, his family wasn't in Nanyuan. Thus, he couldn't help but to get into the mentality of a father when he looked at Su Yu.
There were a lot of soldiers in Great Xia. The biggest worry of these soldiers when fighting on the front line was that their descendents would grow up as a wastrel back home. Every one of them wanted to see their children growing into someone like Su Yu.
...
Su Yu was in a heavy mood after the conversation with Xia Bing. Xia Bing was way too honest! He shouldn't have mentioned the matter of his father's injuries. Of course, knowing was always better than not knowing. But as a result, he now had even more things to worry about.
His desire for strength had grown even more. He wondered if his father would end up participating in a major battle. In a major battle, not to mention Infinite Strength cultivators, even Skysoar cultivators could be put in danger.
"If I cultivate normally, I can probably grow quickly. But...perhaps it's time for me to activate more abilities in the book."
The cultivation speed of a seventh-stage Great Strength iron-winged bird was starting to feel slow for him.
"The strength of the activated abilities are probably dependent on the strength of the blood essence used during the first activation. I still can't activate abilities that are too strong, but the ability at the level of first-stage Infinite Strength Realm or ninth-stage Great Strength Realm can also help with my cultivation speed. I should be able to barely resist the pressure of such activations."
Su Yu sank into thought. He had encountered many beasts in his dreams before and over the years, he had identified a few of them. He was simply unsure if he was right. As for the few beasts that he was certain about, he had no access to their blood essence.
"I can be certain that ox-faced fish and looping turtles have appeared before. But I can't find their blood essence in Nanyuan. Maybe I can get them in the capital."
Previously, Su Yu was satisfied with activating the iron-winged bird's page in his book. He believed that he shouldn't take risks and should advance in a safe and steady manner. After all, he had been progressing pretty quickly.
But Xia Bing's words had caused him to be impatient again. He needed to activate even more pages to increase his cultivation speed. The speed of a seventh-stage Great Strength page wasn't slow, but it was no longer enough to satisfy him.
"The issue is...merit points and money."
Su Yu was troubled. If he activated a page at the Infinite Strength Realm, did that not mean that he would need to cultivate with the blood essence of Infinite Strength beasts?
"Infinite Strength blood is a lot more expensive than Great Strength blood. Maybe...I should accept Dad's merit points after all. Maybe if he grows slower, he won't get involved in any major battles?"
Su Yu shook his head. That was merely wishful thinking. On the battlefield, one would only die faster if one was weak. Of course, one wouldn't be much safer even if one was stronger unless one was already an Invincible expert.
"Dad, why must you make me worry about you?"
Su Yu sighed. His father was so troublesome. He was not a kid anymore. Why couldn't he stop making his family worry about him?
...
Allheaven Battlefield.
In a certain military camp.
Su Long was sighing to a bunch of subordinates, "My kid is still young. He doesn't even know how to cook or wash his clothes. Sigh, I'm so worried about him. I wonder if he's starving without me there. He even got into the Great Xia Cultural Research Academy. His living expenses will grow even more. I wonder if he can get me a daughter-in-law from the academy..."
"Commander, the news back home has yet to reach us. How are you so sure that he can enter the Great Xia Cultural Research Academy?"
The squad leader was joking, but Su Long glared at him unhappily and said, "What question is that? If even my son can't get into the academy, nobody in Nanyuan can do it!
"His entry is guaranteed! I already sent my merit points back. With my merit points, that kid can probably reach the seventh-stage Great Strength Realm a few years later."
Someone else teased, "Seventh-stage Great Strength Realm? Why don't you say that your kid will reach the Skysoar Realm instead? Aren't all graduates of the cultural research academy Skysoar cultivators? A few years later, he can join our army and take the position as the military cultural researcher. Even you have to address him as your superior officer when you see him."
Su Long's face turned red as he said, "What about Skysoar? Do you think it's impossible? My son is a genius! Maybe he won't be able to do it in a few years, but how about a decade or two? At that time, all of you will still be normal soldiers. When he comes here to become the military cultural researcher, all of you will have to act like his grandkids. You will have to address him as Sir Su when you see him!"
"Hahaha! You're right! At that time, we'll call you Old Sir Su. Do you like that?"
Su Long glared at the person who had spoken. That person was a 100-man commander as well. Due to his higher cultivation level, that person had always acted arrogantly in front of Su Long.
Su Long could only gnash his teeth and said, "Just you wait. When my son becomes a cultural researcher, I'll be sure to slap the face of every single one of you! You with the surname Liu! Don't get too cocky! Your daughter won't be able to catch my son's eyes. Do you think a cultural researcher will have trouble getting a wife?"
The other person snorted and said, "You old bastard has been aiming for my daughter since the beginning! Don't think I didn't notice how you indirectly tried to get my daughter as your son's wife. Dream on! My daughter will be taking the entrance exam next year and she will definitely be able to enter the Great Xia War Academy. After a year or two, she'll be at the Great Strength Realm or even the Infinite Strength Realm. Why don't you look in the mirror and ask yourself how many cultural research academy students can actually make it to graduation?"
Su Long was so furious that he wanted to fight this person. His son wouldn't be able to graduate from a cultural research academy? Says who? But then again...that did seem quite difficult.
At that realization, Su Long felt somewhat discouraged. But he still stubbornly said, "Even if he can't graduate, he can still stay in the academy as an instructor. That will be a safe job, unlike your daughter who will spend her time on the front line like some barbarian."
"Su Long, are you asking for a fight?"
"Bring it on! Do you think I'm scared? Since you dare to criticize my son, I'll beat you up and teach you a lesson for being so disrespectful!"
"..."
The two continued shouting at each other while the others merely watched on with amusement. It would be even better if the two ended up fighting. Things had been boring recently with the battlefield calming down.
Nevertheless, this little episode had successfully formed an image of Su Yu in their hearts. The impression they got of him was of a weak scholar.
Poor kid. He was definitely weak and frail and probably sickly as well. Just look at how worried Old Su was about his son. The first thing he did after returning to the army was to ask around about the daughters of his comrades. He was clearly afraid that his frail son would fail to find a wife.